By Staff Writer
Celebrating its 24th year, the Sustainable Quality Awards recognized local businesses that demonstrated excellence in helping Santa Monica continue to move toward a more sustainable future. The annual awards ceremony and lunchtime event, which attracted attendees from across the City on April 30, 2019, at Le Meridien Delfina Hotel, formally recognizing this year’s winners.
“The SQAs have honored 157 businesses and 198 awards since 1995 for their outstanding leadership in sustainability, and I’m honored to continue as Co–Chair of this year’s awards program,” states Alisha Auringer, LAcarGUY Manager of the Environment. “This event celebrates those who positively impact the City of Santa Monica through their innovative efforts and approaches to business through sustainable practices.”
The SQA Grand Prizes are given to businesses that excel in the areas of sustainable economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the natural environment. Excellence awards are given to outstanding achievements in any one or two of the three categories.
The 2019 Sustainable Quality Awards honored two Grand Prize winners and six Excellence Award winners.
The winners participated in Santa Monica’s Green Business Program administered by Sustainable Works and many achieved Green Business Certifications.
SQA Grand Prize
Back on the Beach Café: Offers meals featuring local and seasonal cuisine with breathtaking views of ocean, mountain, pier, and Catalina Island. They have indoor & outdoor dining along with catering services and event planning. “We are grateful to be awarded the Grand Prize along with Tradesy, Inc, I feel proud and fortunate to be in a local community that promotes sustainability and environmental awareness especially when things are dismal on a national and federal level with the current presidential administration and EPA.” Jim Christel, Co-Owner.
Tradesy, Inc.: Is an online peer-to-peer resale marketplace for buying and selling women’s luxury and designer contemporary fashion.
SQA Excellence Awards
Arthur Murray Dance Center Santa Monica: Excellence in Economic Development
Arthur Murray provides instruction in all styles of social and competitive ballroom dancing through personal sessions, group classes and practice sessions.
Bezian Bakery: Excellence in Economic Development
Where real nutrition and innovative baking come together for highly acclaimed wild yeast breads available exclusively at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.
Global Green: Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment
Global Green creates catalytic projects to serve as models for helping create sustainable communities and identifies policy and financial solutions to bring them to scale.
Salon Tru Santa Monica: Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment
The Salon’s full line of plant derived Aveda, Davines and Comfort Zone products and relaxing décor along with a service-oriented staff embrace pure, natural, beauty in every way.
Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District: Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment
SMMMUSD serves the coastal communities of Santa Monica and Malibu. With over 11,000 students in preschool through 12th grade, SMMUSD encompasses 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, one middle / high school, one comprehensive high school, and a continuation high school.
Santa Monica Motel: Excellence in Social Responsibility
Located just seven blocks from the beach and accomplishing a recent comprehensive greening remodel, Santa Monica Motel (SMM) is an economy motel that offers very affordable Westside accommodations.
“The Sustainable Quality Awards inspire us to further balance business practices with caring for the environment. The recognition highlights the importance of social responsibility in order to create a healthy environment not only for customers and visitors, but for our employees, tenants, and the community”.
Julia Ladd, Assistant Vice President, Property Management, Santa Monica Place/Macerich, Grand Prize Winner 2017
In addition to being recognized at the ceremony by many peers and officials, the recognized businesses are noted regularly on Green Business Tours and in presentations, in the Sustainable Santa Monica newsletter and in media.
Sustainable Event
This zero-waste event, lead sponsored by Morley Builders Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, SoCal Edison, and LAcarGUY, will showcase sustainable (vegetarian) bites from local restaurants.
Free bike valet will be provided and attendees will receive a raffle ticket for walking, biking or carpooling to the event.
About Sustainable Quality Awards:
The SQAs were founded to recognize businesses in the Santa Monica area that are successfully incorporating sustainable practices into their operations; businesses that make significant achievements in the areas of sustainable economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the natural environment. Morley Builders, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism and LAcarGUY continue to support this event as Lead Sponsors. Additional sponsors include Kaiser Permanente, Pacific Park and Southern California Edison.
For more information visit www.smsqa.com
